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Scotch whisky – Highlands
Being the largest region, the Highlands provide a large scale of conditions for whisky making. There are only a few distilleries spread over the western part of the interior Highlands, and it is quite difficult to generalize their character. If their whiskies have something in common than it is surely the firm, dry character with a bit of peatiness and saltiness. The best known is the Oban. The Far North of the Highlands is characterized by several types of whisky with a distinctly spicy taste, possibly gained from the sand stone, shamrock, and very moderate sea breezes. Probably the most typical of them is the Glenmorangie.
Glenmorangie
It has a very aromatic character due to the spring flowing through shamrock and heath. Flowery aroma and unique sweetness. We recommend that you put a small cube of ice in the mouth, let it melt and drink a sip of whisky. Guaranteed that you will thus feel all the flavors of the beverage. Glenmorangie select their own trees in Missouri; the wood is left dried by air, casks lent for 4 years to the bourbon Heaven Hill distillery in Kentucky.
The best selling Single Malt Whisky in Scotland has become available in a much wider scale of varieties for the last ten years. The distillery is situated in a nice town of Tain with buildings made of sand stone. The town and the distillery are located at a seaside near the town of Inverness.
A French perfumery identified 26 aromas in this whisky – from almonds through bergamot, cinnamon, up to verbenone, vanilla and wild mint.
Oban
The label is imprinted with the history of the town of Oban. The distillery is located in the town of Oban, an important ferry port, a starting point for exploring the part of Scotland – the West Highlands, the islands, as well as the coast. As a whisky taster once said, its aroma reminds one of beach pebbles. A whiff of fresh peat moss and maltiness. The taste is at first deceivingly mild, parfumed with a hint of fruity sea grass, and then lightly waxy and smoky. It goes well with seafood and venison. Oban at the Upside Down:
Scotch whisky – Speyside
Part of Highlands between the towns of Inverness and Aberdeen, descending from the granite mountains down to a fertile land where barley is grown. It is formed by a basin of several rivers of which Spey is the most important one. At its widest point the Speyside spreads from the Findhorn river in the west up to the Deveron in the east. The distilling and aging usually take place at cooler locations. Single Malted Whiskies from Speyside are characterized by elegance, flowery, heath-honey elements and sometimes a mild, fragrant peatiness. Furthermore, what is typical of them are the two extremes: marked sherry type, as in case of the Macallan, Glenfarclas and Aberlour, and a lighter type, as the Knockando, Glen Grant or the Glenlivet.
The Macallan
This jewel of Single Malt Whiskies has become a part of the Highland Distillers group. Its richness increases by the use of exceptionally small distilling apparatuses. It is aged in oak casks coming from Spain. The kind of oak is called Quercusrobur, used for making casks in Jerez. The casks are then lent to several bodegas.
The distillery follows very strict rules. As a matter of tradition, the specific character of the Macallan was initiated by the Golden Promise barley, however, it has been ever more difficult to find this Scottish variety these days. Macallan is best known by its adherence to the ex-sherry aging . Its style is oaken, flower and fruit, sherry.
Glenfiddich
The name of this best selling Single Malt Whisky in the world originates in the valley (Glen) of the Fiddich river. The name Fiddich suggests that the river flows through a valley being a deer habitat, also reflected in the Company logo represented by a stag. The Glenfiddich distillery was the first one to produce the Single Malt Whisky. Quite unusually, the distillery has its own bottling line.
Glenfiddich at the Upside Down:Scotch whisky – Islay
The region has become known by the coastal flavors of the Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroig and Bowmore malt whiskies. These whiskies are characterized by their flavor and aroma. They are very dry, iodine, salty and typically with high degree of smokiness. This is mainly due to the distilleries being located at the coast, affected by sea saltiness. For instance, the aging casks at the Lagavulin distillery are knee-high in water during high tide. Their high degree of smokiness is caused by a strong peat moss base used for drying and also for making the malt stop germinating.
Ardbeg
A typical coastal distillery. The distillery was shut down in the early eighties of the last century and now it is an inseparable part of the Island of Islay. The malteries were unusual in that there were no fans in the pagodas on the roof, causing the peat smoke to thoroughly permeate the malt, which is evident in case of the older bottlings. The earthy and ashy flavors are also due to the peaty origin of the water.
Ardbeg at the Upside Down:Bowmore
The village of Bowmore is the “Capital” of the Island of Islay and its famous distillery is rightfully one of the visitors’ favorite sights. The distillery is still in excellent condition but please, do not mistake it for the School. The Bowmore Whiskies are between the strong malt whiskies of the southern coast and the mildest extremes of the North. Their character is not a matter of compromise but rather a riddle making it rather difficult for tasters to discover its complexity. The distillery is exposed to western winds causing the aroma and flavor complex contain more ozone.
Bowmore at the Upside Down:Scotch whisky – the Lowlands
The Lowlands have always been making relatively few kinds of whisky. The Auchentoshan and Glenkinchie distilleries have been doing well while the Bladnoch, Littlemilll and Rosebank are still waiting for better times. Just like the entire region, the malts from the Lowlands suffer from the lack of winded pirate glory too. In spite of that, however, they keep their grassy softness. The best of them are characterized by the touch of lemon grass and maltiness, not alleviated even by the heaths, seaside algae, or sea saltiness.
Auchentoshan
A distillery owned by a private Company, the Morrison Bowmore, managed by the Japanese Suntory. The distillery was found in around 1800, later rebuilt and reequipped. The whisky is triple-distilled and thus very smooth, with a hint of vanilla and lemon grass. Taste – lemon peel, ibis, it is sweet.
Auchentoshan at the Upside Down:Glenkinchie
The origin of this distillery goes back to the twenties and thirties of the last century and is associated with a farm located in the barley region of the Kinchie valley. The given whisky is usually used in blends. It brings a refreshing effect, especially after a walk on hills. Aroma – sweet lemons, melon. Taste – spicy, cinnamon, cane sugar, ginger dryness.
Glenkinchie at the Upside Down:Scotch whisky – Islands
Since long ago the Highlands region has included all the islands except the Island of Islay. The enthusiasts would probably claim that to a certain degree each island makes a specific type of whisky, however, the most famous one comes from nowhere else than the Islay and the peninsular distilleries in Campbeltowne. On Orkneys and occasionally in Campbeltowne too the malt is dried using the local peat, on these islands characterized mainly by its impact, and by its saltiness on the Orkneys, and also using the sea grass with healing effect.
Highland Park
Highland Park has the most versatile of all the whiskies. Its style is insular but in itself it joins the elements of a classical malt whisky: smokiness, heath-honey accent, maltiness, mildness. The distillery is situated on the outskirts of the Island of Kirkwall’s Capital.
Highland Park at the Upside Down:Arran malt
Arran is the youngest distillery in Scotland. The island is situated at the western coast of the Lowlands. The distillery did not offer its first samples on the market earlier than 1998. The Isle of Arran was once known for its whisky, however, it had accommodated no legal distillery for more than a century. The Arran distillery is located in the village of Lochranza on the northern coast of the island. For a few years the distillery presented on the market a whisky aged in ex-sherry and ex-muscatel casks.
Arran malt at the Upside Down:Irish whisky
One of the first mentions of whisky in Ireland goes back to the year 1174. The local people drank here the so called “aqua vitae.” The next mention originates in the year 1276 when Sir Thomas Savage of Bushmills strengthened his troops before a battle by a drink called “uisce beatha.” Another factual mention comes from the year 1556 when a record about illegal whisky distilling from barley appeared.
During the fight against alcoholism in Ireland and the prohibition in the USA a number of distilleries were closed. Only three of them have remained in operation up to this day.
whiskys are mainly produced in the Irish, pot still method, in which case the whisky is made of around 30-50% malted barley with the remaining portion being the unmalted barley or other grain. When being dried, the malted barley does not get touched by smoke for which reason the whisky lacks smokiness. The whisky is to be aged for a period of no less than three months. It has been a tradition in Ireland to distill whiskys from two distilleries three times, resulting in whisky probably more simple but surely lighter.
Jameson
As a result of the malting barley being dried in closed kilns without even a slightest touch of smoke, it has been the best selling Irish whisky in the world. It is blended from several twelve-year old malt and grain whiskys aged in ex-sherry casks. Aroma – malt, earthliness. Taste – smooth with slight touch of honey and sherry, developing into full, rich, complex and balanced finish.
Jameson at the Upside Down:Middleton Very Rare
It is a very rare and the most exclusive whisky produced in Ireland. Aged individually in oak casks. There are only a few casks of Middleton Very Rare produced each year, making it very rarely available. The quality is guaranteed by each bottle being individually numbered and signed by the Middleton’s Master Distiller.
Middleton Very Rare at the Upside Down:The American Tennessee whisky and Bourbon
It practically meets all the conditions required for bourbon. Unusually, however, it involves one extra final processing stage called the Lincoln Country Process. It is a process of filtering through charcoal, not applied in case of other bourbons. Tennessee has more than one hundred counties but alcohol may only be distilled in three of them.
Jack Daniels
Similarly to bourbons, also the Tennessee whisky must be made from at least 51% of mashbill. Jack Daniels is filtered through sugar-maple charcoal in three-meter high wooden vats enabling to produce clean young whisky. The gained spirit is then filled into new charred oak barrels.
Jack Daniels at the Upside Down:Woodford reserve distillers select straight
Woodford reserve is a revolutionary distillery that rejected the distillation columns and started producing whisky in copper pot stills using the triple distillation method. The mashbill comprises 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley.
Woodford reserve distillers select straight at the Upside Down:Canadian whisky
The original Canadian whiskies were made from rye but in time, most Canadian distillers turned to corn and wheat, which are ever more predominant in the mash bill today. There are no government limitations except that the whisky is to be distilled in Canada and must have the aroma, taste and character attributed to the Canadian whisky. It is double continuous distilled and mixed with grain. The whisky is then filled into ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, ex-brandy or new barrels, and is aged for a minimum of three years.
Canadian club
It is produced in the Collingwood, the holiday destination in the province of Ontario. It covers a wide spectrum of flavors, from fruity to ethereal. It is aged for exactly 6 years. It contains a large percentage of rye. Canadian Club is the best selling Canadian whisky.
Canadian club at the Upside Down:Black Velvet
It is a modern distillery, producing not only whisky but also other spirits like the London Dry Gin and the Smirnoff vodka. The distillery is located in Lethbridge. It has a 20 million liter capacity. Black Velvet is aged for 6 years.
Black Velvet at the Upside Down:Japanese whisky
Japanese whisky is produced by four major companies dominating over around 96% of the market. The founders of Japanese whisky are Šindžiró Torii – Yamazaki and the Suntory, as well as Masataka Takecuru, who established the Yoichi distillery and the Nikka Company. The whisky is aged for a minimum of three years too. Part of the distilleries import malted barley from Scotland, whereas the general rule says that a minimal portion of malt whisky in a blend is to be 30%. The products are aged in barrels made of Japanese oak but also in imported barrels made of the American and Spanish varieties of oaks.
The Yamazaki single malt 12 Y.O.
The distillery was founded in Osaka. It employs 12 distillation apparatuses of three different types. They supply mainly the single malt whiskies to the market. The aging is performed in large Japanese oak barrels.
The Yamazaki single malt 12 Y.O. at the Upside Down:The Hakushu single malt whisky 12 Y.O.
The Suntory distillery was built in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii. He is called the father of the Japanese whisky. Aroma – dry, fresh, barbecue sauce, charcoal. Taste – burnt caramel, dried plum, savory oil texture.
The Hakushu single malt whisky 12 Y.O. at the Upside Down: